Secularism Flashcards
What is Secularisation
The idea that religious beliefs, practices and organisations are becoming less important in society
Max Webber described secularisation as “the disenchantment of the world”. This means that as society modernises and becomes more industrialised in its outlook, people have less need to rely on ideas that cannot be proved.
Why does secularisation occur?
- religious teachings and organisations are no longer respected
- people have less need to rely on supernatural ideas
- religion has become a private matter and has less influence in public life.
- people are less committed to religious practices
The national secular society
- stands against the promotion of religion and privileges for religion institutions
- it argues that secularisation is about tolerance and that people of different religions and beliefs are equal before law.
It aims to promote the freedom of belief, expression and practice :
Freedom of belief - the right of individuals to freedom of religion is balanced by the right to be free from religion
Freedom of expression - religious people have the right to express their beliefs publicly, but so do those who oppose those beliefs
Freedom of practice - protects the right to practice religious beliefs as long as it does not affect the rights of others
The place of religion in a secular society
The British social attitudes survey of 2015 shows that the proportion of people in Britain who say they belong to a religion has fallen over the last 30 years
The majority of the population agrees that the Church of England should keep its status as the official established church in England.
The effects of secularisation on religion
Sociologists Wilson and Bruce argue that three processes that lead to the decline of religion occur as society develops and modernises:
- RATIONALISATION- people using science to explain the universe
- DIFFERENTIATION - services such as education and healthcare are run by non-religious organisations
DECLINE OF COMMUNITY - people no longer live in small communities, which used to be held together by the church.
However, others would argue that religion still has importance in society but the nature of its importance is changing.
- most people still hold religious beliefs
- even if religion is becoming less important in Western Europe, it is still strong in other parts of the world
- in some modern countries (e,g USA) religion is still important
overall, religion has decreasing power and authority. Eventhough the Church of England is the established church in England, people are more influenced by non-religious institutions
Humanism
Humanism - a way of seeing and reacting to the world using science, logic and reason and rejecting religious beliefs and and ideas
In 1689, John Locke, argued that human knowledge came through experience of the world and not from an outside truth
The idea developed that human goodness and ethics came from human reason rather than an external power.
Over time, the church adapted so that Christian humanists were accepted and so humanism then became a non-religious movement
Humanists share 2 central principles:
- a scientific view of the universe, rejecting supernatural beliefs
- a concern for the welfare of other human beings and animals based on reason
- the need for each person to create meaning in their own life without a belief in life after death
British Humanist association
Their main principle:
“This is our world, our responsibility, our possibility”
It campaigns to :
- disestablish the Church of England
- remove the right of Anglican bishops in the House of Lords
- abolish faith schools
Clashes between religious and secular values in education:
1/3 of state funded schools are faith schools
Christian faith schools are clear that some of the aims of RE are confessional (they reinforce the faith of pupils are promote a Christian worldview)
The national secular society is against the idea of the state promoting religion and is opposed to the confessional teaching of Christianity in Christian schools.
In non-faith state schools, RE must be taught. The national secular society believes that non-religious and humanist views should be taught alongside religions.
Aims of RE in Church of England schools
- reflect critically on the truth claims of Christian belief
- seeing how the truth of Christianity is relevant today
- facing the challenge of Jesus’ teachings in a pluralist society
- understanding how religious faith can sustain pupils in difficult circumstances
Aims of RE in Catholic schools
- enabling pupils to deepen their religious and theological understanding
- enabling pupils to relate their Catholic faith to daily life
- making pupils aware of the demands of religious commitment in everyday life
The aims of collective worship in schools (QUOTES)
Worship in Schools without a religious character should be of a “broadly Christian character”
“Collective worship in schools should aim to provide the opportunity for pupils to worship god (…) to promote a common ethos and shared values and reinforce positive attitudes” - Department for education
“In demanding collective worship in schools that will typically have pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds and none, the law is incoherent” British humanist association
“All state schools…must teach religious education” national curriculum in England
“All pupils in attendance at a maintained school shall on each school day take part in an act of collective worship…the collective worship required in the school shall be wholly or mainly of a Christian character” education reform act 1988
